Good Times Bad Riddim – Rise And Shine Promotions

Good Times Bad Riddim keeps things in that mid-2000s dancehall pocket: bouncy, rough-edged, and loaded with voices that know how to ride a simple groove without overcomplicating it. Rise and Shine Promotions lined up a full dozen cuts in 2005, and the cast leans nicely across styles, from Anthony B’s sharp-tongued “High Roller” and Luciano’s smoother “Empress Come To Me” to Mikey General’s “More To Beauty, ” which brings a more conscious tilt into the mix. Cadia, Dr Marshall, Milton Blake and Nanco Flex help widen the mood, while Sparticus, Spectacular, Sunshade and Willpower keep the riddim moving through the darker corners and streetwise chatter. If there’s a track that hangs back after the rest have passed, it’s Anthony B’s “High Roller, ” with Luciano’s “Empress Come To Me” giving the set its cleanest vocal lift.